Cripton Transcription Blog

The Challenges of Mixed Audio Transcription

noreply@blogger.com (Cripton Transcription) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:33:00 +0000

In today’s article, we are going to focus on the challenges of mixed audio transcription.

An audio which contains two more than two languages is called as a mixed audio. Here, we will be focusing on audios having two languages. For example: transcription of an audio which contains English as well as Japanese languages.

There are three types of mixed audios. They are as follows:
1. Consecutive interpretation.
2. Simultaneous interpretation.
3. Random mix of both languages.

Consecutive Interpretation: In this case, the two different languages (English and Japanese) are spoken one after the other. Here, the same audio gets allocated to both language transcribers. It is important for both the transcribers to listen to the entire audio, mainly because in consecutive interpretation, the rate of language change is very frequent. This process takes up a lot of time. Next, compilation of the two different final transcripts is required which adds up to the time taken. Frequent speaker interruptions also make it difficult to compile the transcript.

Simultaneous Interpretation: This signifies that two different languages are spoken at the same time. In this case too, the same audio gets allocated to both language transcribers. Compilation is not required as both the languages are heard throughout the audio file and can be transcribed in separate documents. In most instances, both the languages are heard in different channels (for example: Japanese in the left channel and English in the right channel). In cases where just one channel is available, it is very difficult for both language transcribers to work on the audio as it is not possible to clearly hear only one language at a time. Since both languages are heard throughout the audio, the transcription process is challenging and increases the time and effort utilized in the process much more than a normal single-language audio. Owing to this, clients are charged a premium rate, which they are made aware of before taking up the assignment.

Random mix of both languages: This means that there is a random mix of more than one language in the audio file; there is no pattern in terms of the frequency of language change. One needs to listen to the entire audio carefully to figure out the breakup of both languages. After that, the job can be allocated to both language transcribers. In this case, compilation of the files can be done by someone who is familiar with both the languages.

In all the above scenarios, it is clear that working on a mixed audio transcript consumes almost twice the time than that of a normal English transcript (single language audio). Allocation of mixed audio transcription jobs also takes significantly more time than the standard transcription job, right from listening to the audios to compilation of the final transcripts, as well as passing on specific instructions and references (if any) to both language transcribers.

Why are ‘Batch Deliveries’ not feasible/advisable in Transcription Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Cripton Transcription) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 08:08:00 +0000

Definition: Whenever the client requires the delivery of transcripts in batches as opposed to a single delivery of the entire job, it is termed as Batch Delivery.
Batch Deliveries are not our standard service and we do not encourage them, the reasons for which will be clear as you read through this blog.

Batch Deliveries usually are favoured by clients in rare cases where;
1. Clients need urgent delivery of the entire job and it is not possible for us to process that job in a day. Thus, sometimes clients request us to split the job up in batches so that each batch will have a separate delivery schedule.

2. In some cases where clients have a very large job, for example, an entire Conference/Symposium which spans over an entire week, the clients upload the audios on a daily basis and hence the delivery is then scheduled in batches as per the turnaround time (TAT) for that particular file.

Disadvantage of Batch Deliveries:
1. Serious Quality Implications: With regards to batch delivery, there are multiple audio files with urgent TAT. These files are usually processed as single entities, not an entire job, and can get allotted to different Editors. This raises the issue of quality/consistency in the overall output of the job. If it is a single delivery, then we always try and give the entire job to a single Editor (owner) so he has a good understanding of the subject matter of the job, the speakers in the files with regard to identification, etc., and hence the final transcripts are accurate and of the best quality.

2. Consistency Issues: In batch deliveries, there are multiple files and multiple Editors work on it at the same time which usually results in issues of inconsistency in formatting/speaker identification, etc. For example, there may be instances where the Main Speaker has identified himself/herself at the start of the symposium/interview in the first audio file. As it is a batch delivery, the Editor doing the second or subsequent files might not be the same person who worked on the first file. Hence, the second Editor might miss out on that information given in the first audio. This will result in incorrect or no speaker identification in the subsequent files which leads to major consistency issues in the job.

3. Delayed Deliveries: Sometimes, as there are three to four batches of the same job that have to be delivered over a span of 3–4 days, there may be a high chance that some batches may get delayed. This is because it is very challenging for the Process Manager to keep a track of these batches as compared to a single delivery for the entire job.

Thus, we always encourage our clients to avoid Batch Delivery Schedules and to keep a single delivery schedule for the entire job so that we can assure our clients an unclear-free, optimal quality output with timely deliveries.

Key Factors for an Effective Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Cripton Transcription) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 06:07:00 +0000

A conversation between two or more people – the interviewer(s) and the interviewee(s) – where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee is called an interview. A good interview is a focused, direct conversation between two or more professionals. Interviews are the best way of understanding a complicated situation and viewing it from someone else’s perspective. From a transcriber’s point of view, an ideal interview should take place in a quiet surrounding without any disturbance. This helps in producing a better quality transcript.

The first and foremost requirement while transcribing an interview would be the introduction of the participants of the interview for speaker identification. This information is not only limited to speaker identification, but also helps in getting additional information on the participants, which in turn helps to produce a good quality transcript.

A good interviewer should always be prepared with questions, facts, and sources of information in a professional manner. Speaking clearly, slowly and repeating keywords also helps a great deal. The pace of an interview should be controlled in accordance with the time allotted.

There are instances where there may be multiple interviewers. In this case, coordination with fellow interviewers is the key. Interviewers should divide the questions to be asked between themselves. If there is no coordination between the interviewers, it would result in a lot of interruptions. Such overlap of communication should be avoided.

On the interviewee front, interviewees should try to be concise while answering the questions posed to them. Digression should be avoided. Avoid interrupting the interviewer and let the interviewer finish questioning before beginning to answer. An interviewee should always keep in mind what information the interviewer is seeking and then give crisp and clear answers. There also can be instances where there are multiple interviewees. Again, it is important to have coordination with fellow interviewees. Interruptions should be avoided and there should be clear segregation of people answering particular types of questions and so on.

However, there are instances when an interview falls below its potential because of some reasons such as the participants are not fully prepared, the interviewer has not organized the questions, or there is no fixed format followed. When an interviewer speaks in an unclear or a hurried manner, the interviewee sometimes fails to comprehend the questions and can repeatedly request the interviewer to repeat the questions. This results in deterioration of the transcript quality. The same rule applies for the interviewee as well as they too have to be prepared for the interview with all research, facts, and sources.

In order to conduct a good interview, distractions should be avoided such as cell phones, BlackBerries, meeting room intrusions, etcetera. In case of a phone interview, it is feasible to utilize a landline. Interviews on cell phones should be avoided. Focus should be maintained on what is required of the interview by all the participants. Try using an ergonomic keyboard, which is quieter than a normal keyboard, so that the sound of typing doesn’t intrude on the interview.

Following all these general and basic practices will be useful in ensuring an effective interview and subsequently in producing the best quality transcripts.

Cripton's Transcribers: Their Background and Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Cripton Transcription) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:09:00 +0000

Cripton, a division of Cactus Communications Pvt. Ltd., provides English transcription services to academic and corporate clients. Cripton boasts of a team of highly experienced, qualified in-house transcribers and editors with an average work experience that ranges from 5 to 10 years. The main aim of Cripton is to strive to work closely with the client to understand all the aspects of client needs and provide the best possible transcription services that suit and satisfy the clients’ requirements.

The process of transcription, or the conversion of voice-recorded reports into text format, is carried out by a transcriptionist. The key skills and abilities that go into making a transcriptionist are: Sound knowledge of diverse terminology; usage of correct punctuation, grammar and spelling; appropriate internet search skills; and excellent typing skills.

Cripton has individuals with varied educational backgrounds working as transcriptionists delivering on client documents according to their field of specialization.

There are individuals who are graduates in Science – majoring in either Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine, or Electronics/Engineering – and provide their vast expertise in catering to the transcription needs of clients on subjects related to scientific fields like natural sciences/phenomena, biological life, metaphysics, mathematics, and social sciences; and medical fields like cardiology, chiropractics, gastroenterology, internal medicine, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, podiatry, psychiatry, radiology, and a host of other fields.

There are individuals who hold a Bachelors degree in Commerce – majoring in accountancy, business administration, e-commerce, economics, finance, and marketing – and provide their vast expertise in catering to transcription needs of clients on subjects dealing with finance, fiscal and industrial policies, market fluctuations, and trade. The transcripts could be related to board meetings, conferences, interviews, lectures, speeches, roundtable discussions, symposiums, seminars, or teleconferences.

There are individuals who have graduated in Arts or Humanities – majoring in advertising, business management, journalism, mass communication, media studies, performing arts, travel and tourism, and more – and provide their vast expertise in catering to clients on subjects like English being taught as a foreign language or accommodating to a client demanding a transcript in a specific format, example: with timestamps.

In a nutshell, Cripton’s transcriptionists are capable of handling transcripts from as varied and diverse fields like business, law, market research, medical, and any individual with a transcription need, the guiding principle being to understand the client's needs and providing prompt and flexible services, maintaining confidentiality, and regular communication with the client. Thus, one of the main pillars of the success of Cripton and its transcriptionists has been in striving to provide accurate transcriptions on time, every time.

Cripton also provides equal growth of opportunities and thus a transcriptionist can graduate to become an Editor, who edits transcripts and checks for quality, and also grow further to the level of a Quality Lead or a Process Manager.

Why does inserting timestamps necessitate a premium charge?

noreply@blogger.com (Cripton Transcription) — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:30:00 +0000

In today’s article, we will focus on inserting timestamps in transcripts.

· Entering timestamps is largely a manual task performed by transcribers who listen to and transcribe the audio files. This transcript is subsequently reviewed by editors who also need to ensure that the final product is of good quality with careful compliance of instructions.

o Being a manual task, it consumes the transcribers’ time and efforts depending upon the frequency of the required timestamps.

· Inserting timestamps at regular intervals takes the transcribers’ attention away from their basic transcription requirements.

o In order to ensure quality output with timestamps and compliance of instructions, the transcribers spend an unusual amount of time transcribing audio files with such instructions. This ultimately results in loss of productivity for the transcribers.

· The following are some of the examples of the frequency of timestamps, i.e. when to enter a timestamp:

o Every 5 minutes, every 2 minutes, every 1 minute, every sentence (suitable for subtitling), every time there is a change of speaker, etcetera. These are just a snapshot of some requests we have received so far.

· The most time-consuming and exhaustive of the above methods is when one needs to insert timestamps in every sentence. Again, if both the start and end time are required, one cannot expect a transcriber to transcribe more than 20 minutes in a particular day (ideally a transcriber can transcribe more than 50 minutes in an 8-hour shift). This indicates that transcribers need to insert a timestamp at the beginning and the conclusion of a sentence, then again at the beginning and end of sentence2, and so on. This process is repeated until the end of the audio file.

o For example:

§ 0:00:05 – 0:00:20

§ Sentence1

§ 0:00:21 – 0:00:39

§ Sentence2

· Consequently, the lesser the frequency, the more time and efforts required.

· Again, inserting timestamps for every speaker change can be complicated.This is because several times, speakers (mostly discussion participants and in some cases interviewers/interviewees) interrupt each other and thus cut off the flow of the conversation as they tend to speak at the same time. In this case, the process becomes even more difficult.

· These days, there are some software products available which claim to help insert timestamps in a transcript. After exploring those products, we have realized that inserting a timestamp is still a combination of two commands. This means that every time a transcriber wants to enter a timestamp, they need to provide two keystrokes. This instance illustrates that manual efforts have to be taken to maintain the quality of the transcript.

· All in all, inserting timestamps at regular intervals, for example, at a frequency of less than 5 minutes, requires meticulous and intensive efforts on the part of the transcribers.

BPO and Transcription Industry in India – An Overview 2/2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 May 2011 02:30:00 +0000

When transcription first began in India, there were various institutes that imparted professional transcription training in lieu of a fee. The fee varied from as low as 10,000 to 60,000 Indian Rupees. There were also some organizations that used to impart on-the-job training and then recruit the candidates in-house or provide placements. The basic training lasts from anywhere between 4 to 6 months.

The transcription training program includes different modules or course subjects – depending on business, legal, general or medical – and is designed to help gain the knowledge and skills towards becoming a transcriptionist. Numerous exercises and assessments throughout each module ensure that the candidates master each concept before moving on.

Medical Transcription, a subdivision of transcription, is one of the fastest growing fields in healthcare. In the United States, the entire healthcare industry is based on insurance and detailed medical records are needed to process insurance claims.

Medical transcription is the process of accurately and quickly transcribing medical records dictated by doctors. A medical transcriptionist transcribes, formats, and proof-reads the medical report of a patient.

The ideal qualification for a medical transcriptionist is Graduation and the primary skills required towards becoming an ideal medical transcriptionist are: Good listening and language skills, knowledge of medical terms, fluency in English, and comprehension of various accents. Undergoing a training course in Medical Transcription is an added advantage.

The major end-users of transcription are media houses, universities and institutes, law firms, consultancy services, and business services.

BPO and Transcription Industry in India – An Overview 1/2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:26:00 +0000

Business Process Outsourcing or BPO started off with the shifting of manufacturing goods to countries providing cheap labor, but in today's technology-driven world, the definition of BPO has taken a new dimension wherein it involves the contracting of a process to a third-party service provider. This process is beneficial to both the outsourcing company and the service provider.

The main advantages of outsourcing are the flexibility it provides to the organization in terms of utilization of its employee strength by focusing on core competencies, rather than performing non-core or administrative processes; increased efficiency, speed, quality, and lower costs in delivering the end product; and real-time access to skilled people.

The work generally involves outsourcing of internal business functions such as human resources, finance, and front office in the form of customer-related services.

The process of outsourcing work to India began in the early 1990s. The major reasons that contributed to India's success in this industry is: Abundant, skilled, English-speaking manpower; high-end telecom and infrastructure which is at par with global standards; strong focus on measuring and monitoring quality targets; fast turnaround times and the ability to offer 24x7 services based on the country's unique geographic location that allows for leveraging time zone differences; and a positive environment which encourages growth of ITES/BPO industry.

Transcription is one of the sub-segments of BPO. Transcription is the conversion of recorded speech into a written or electronic text format. Transcription services are provided for business – earnings calls; legal – courtroom proceedings; general – podcast, media, IT & engineering transcription, symposiums, interviews, presentations, lectures; or medical – patient summary.

Transcription services are provided for a wide variety of audio and video media, ranging from traditional analog tapes to high-definition digital media of various formats.

High-quality transcription is characterized not only by an ability to listen and comprehend diverse vocabulary, but also by an ability to collect relevant information.

Transcription services are charged depending on per line, per word, per minute or per hour basis. Other factors that go into providing a custom quality professional end-product to the clients are: Prompt and professional service, quick turnaround time with highest possible accuracy, and cost effectiveness.

Delivering an Effective Presentation (From a Transcriber’s Point of View) -2/2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 01:00:00 +0000

(Topic continuing from the previous post)

3. Access to Video Recording: Nowadays, many of the speeches at high level meetings, conferences, and forums are covered by video recordings, generally for archiving purposes. Such recordings are of tremendous help to the transcribers because it helps in speaker identification, helps resolve confusion on slide identification if the video contains slide footage, and to a lesser extent, helps in identifying many words merely through speakers’ body language and gestures. However, this is only true when the video is of good quality and it has been supplemented with PDF or PPT references.

One issue that transcribers sometimes face with the video footage is that many times, the video shots of PDF and PPT are sent as references. This should be avoided as much as possible because such video footage, due to light reflection, uneven focusing, and wrong handling of the camera are of far lesser quality than the actual PPT or PDF document. The words written in the PPT slides then cannot be clearly deciphered leading to ambiguous interpretation on the part of the transcribers.

4. Accent and Spoken English Quality: The main element that the transcriber needs to produce a good quality transcript, and in many instances maybe the only one, is the voice file. Hence, even if the reference quality is not good, it can be made up by a voice file which is clearly audible, less accented, and without distortion. To deliver his message correctly to the audience, the speaker should speak in clear and correct English, keeping a moderate pace. The correct speech pace becomes even more significant for South Asian speakers as they generally have heavily accented voice and sometimes use faulty English sentences, which can lead to wrong interpretations.

5. Proper Placement of Recording Equipment: Generally, the recording equipment used in seminars and conferences is of high quality, but the placement can be faulty. The microphones are wrongly placed as a result of which they pick up side conversations, ruffling of papers on the dais, and noise from other electronic equipment placed close to the microphone resulting in distortion of the main speech. Hence, care should be taken that the microphone be placed at a proper place and proper distance to catch the speaker’s speech only and not any other sounds. In this regard, it is important to note that the reverberation quality of the hall should be checked beforehand; otherwise, the recorded speech will have echo effects making the speech difficult to listen to. If PPTs are being video recorded, the camera should be placed where reflection of lights on the PPT slides is minimum and the words are recognizable.

Keeping in mind the above points while delivering a structured speech such as a presentation or lecture will not only help in making the presentation lively and effective for the audience, but will also help the transcriber deliver a superior quality transcript which ultimately will lead to a satisfied client.

Delivering an Effective Presentation (From a Transcriber’s Point of View) -1/2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:00:00 +0000

As transcribers, we come across various types of jobs that we have to transcribe. They can range from telephone conferences, where the speakers speak in very fragmented and unstructured sentences, to speakers delivering presentations in a high level forum or symposium. Although not too much can be done for unstructured speeches for providing a clear transcript, a lot can, however, be done for structured ones like in presentations, which can enhance the quality of the transcript.

While giving a presentation or while recording it, the transcript quality may not be foremost on the minds of the speakers and the organizers; however, for a good quality transcript, a number of factors come into play. These factors can be internal, meaning factors the transcription provider has control over and external, meaning factors which are beyond a transcription providers’ control. These external factors are in control of the recording company which records the audio/video; the organizers of the symposium/forum which choses a hall with, say, less reverberation; to the speakers themselves who prepare the PowerPoints and speak fluent English at the correct pace. Today, we will look into some of these external factors and look into what can ensure a better quality presentation and, thus, a good quality transcript.

1. Proper　PowerPoints: Speakers giving presentations in symposiums and forums usually have a PowerPoint presentation (PPT) to help them present their ideas and thoughts in a very structured manner to the audiences. These PPTs, when made correctly, can greatly enhance the speakers’ thought process and help present a clearer picture to the audience. There are a few pointers that should be kept in mind while making an effective PPT.

a) No. of Slides: The speaker should keep in mind that the number of slides of the PPT should be kept at a moderate number to make the right impact with the audience. Fewer slides will give very less detail about the idea presented and thus the audience will have to rely mostly on the speaker’s speech for information flow, whereas too many slides will lose the attention of the audience as their focus will be divided between reading the content of the slide and listening to the speaker.

b) Logical Flow of Information: The flow of ideas presented in the slide should be logical. Disjointed flow of information in the slides will create confusion in the minds of the audience.

c) Grammatically Correct English: The sentences used in the slides should be grammatically correct. Many speakers bring with them slides that are marred with improper English which leads to ambiguous sentence formation and, ultimately, ambiguous interpretation on the part of the audience.

These PowerPoints are frequently sent to the transcribers as references along with the voice file. Hence, keeping in mind the above points while making a PPT will not only help the speaker deliver a smooth and logical presentation, but also help the transcriber enhance the accuracy of the transcript.

2. Using the PowerPoint Presentation Correctly: For an effective presentation, the speaker should not only prepare a good PPT, but should also complement it by presenting and elaborating on ideas given in the PPT in a logical sequence and at a correct pace. The speaker should, as much as possible, stick to the PPT and not jump across the slides. Also, the speaker should pick a slide, elaborate on it, provide examples where necessary, and then move on to the next slide. Jumping across slides will lead to confusion for the audience. It will also create confusion for transcribers because most of the time, they have access to audio files of the presentation only without any access to video footage.

(To be continued to 2/2...)

Equipments we use - 3 (Software-2)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:30:00 +0000

In this part of the blog, you will see some details about softwares used in the actual process of transcription. So far, you have seen how the source (audio/video) is obtained and processed using different softwares.

<The series back number>

Equipments we use - 1 (Hardware)
Equipments we use - 2 (Software- 1)

The actual process of transcribing the processed audio/video source begins now.

1) Audio/Video Player: This is the software used to play the source either in audio or video format. The freely available softwares in the market today have limited capability of playing files only in certain formats like mp3, wav, wma, etc. Transcribers have to carefully choose players available according to their requirements. Features include: the basic – play, forward, rewind, foot pedal compatibility, hot keys – and the advanced – bookmarks, timestamps.
An important point to remember chose players where playback of videos while using the foot pedal is smooth and does not often as is seen in most softwares, thereby affecting sound output.
a. Play, pause, forward, rewind (Basic features).
b. Foot pedal compatibility.
c. Hot-keys (forward, rewind, jump seconds, etc).
d. Bookmarks. You can bookmark audios in places where you have left an unclear for review. The bookmark come very handy when there are multiple unclears in an audio which you can review later.
e. Timestamps: You can copy time stamps to mark unclears points in an audio.
f. Background noise removal.

Express Scribe Interface

Examples: Express Scribe media player

2) Microsoft office/Macros: Our transcripts are typed in MS Word documents. Auto-text and auto-correct are used to speed up the typing process. Macros also come in very handy to simplify repeated tasks as checking gender inconsistencies and spelling errors.

3) Dictionaries/References: Numerous reference dictionaries are available freely in the market. Oxford, American Heritage, Collins. The latest dictionaries offer advanced features like Wild Card Search, Hot Key functions, etc.

a. Wild Card search. Ever wondered when you can partially hear a word but do not the spelling, here’s where wild card comes handy… The wild card feature can give you a list of the words containing the characters you were searching for.
b. Hotkeys. One can use hotkeys to activate the dictionary and search the selected word.

Oxford Dictionary interface

WordsWeb Pro Interface

Examples: WordWeb Pro

Thus, these are the different softwares that we use to make our transcription process smoother and efficient thus ensuring an optimum-quality transcript.

Reliability of Voice Recognition Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Voice recognition technology refers to that technology that recognizes spoken word and converts it into text. There are many voice recognition softwares in the market, the most popular one being Dragon Naturally Speaking Software by Nuance. Here, we will talk about this particular voice recognition software.

Dragon Naturally Speaking

Voice recognition software is very helpful to an individual whose keyboard skills are poor. The software ‘Dragon’ is designed in such a way that the user has a proper interface with the software and its features to the fullest extent possible.

To start with, the software needs to be trained. Every new user creates his individual profile and then starts the procedure to train the software. Dragon comes with a module in which the user needs to train it with regards to the tone of the user’s voice. This module has a series of steps to be followed so that the software gets accustomed to his voice. Once the user is comfortable with the commands of the software, he can work with the software on live jobs.

As a transcriber, a live job means the audios to be transcribed. With this software, a transcriber can listen to the audio and speak out the lines as they are heard. This software also contains intelligence which is of added advantage to the user. If a user narrates a line, the software is able to interpret the content to some extent and not confuse with phrases like ‘I scream’ and ‘ice cream’ according to the context.

This software is also helpful for those who lack a proper English vocabulary. Difficult and rarely used words like ‘habiliments,’ ‘sacerdotal,’ etcetera, if spoken properly and clearly, can be typed out by Dragon without the transcriber knowing these words. It is also useful in a similar way in case of names of places. The more this software is used, the more it gets accustomed to the voice and tone of the speaker thus enabling it to grasp the context and content matter of the file. This helps to easily get hold of some words which are time-consuming to find in some cases.

Using 'Dragon' for the actual work

At times, a file can have some medical terms specific to some disease. In these cases also Dragon helps to some extent and deciphers the words with regards to the contextual meaning of the statement. A disease name such as amebiasis can be spelt as pronounced by Dragon more or less in a correct way provided the user narrates it correctly.

In general, even simple English words which frequently appear in a file; for example, words like ‘differentiation,’ which are long and tedious to type, are easily taken care of by Dragon once it gets used to the speaker’s accent, tone, pronunciations, etcetera. All in all, Dragon reduces the time spent on typing the file and enables a transcriber to devote more time to research. This results in optimum quality transcripts.

Speaker Identification – Expectations and Limitations

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Speaker Identification is the process of identifying different speakers in the audio file/transcript. Usually, speaker identification is done by one of the following methods.

1. Reference Material/Agenda – In case of a meeting/conference/symposium, if we have the minute-to-minute agenda of the meeting along with the names of the speakers, we try to match the speaker to the speaker names as given in the agenda. This is the simplest way to get accurate speaker names. So, we always encourage our clients to send us the agenda or draft of the meeting/conference/symposium at the time of job confirmation so as to get accurate speaker identification for their jobs.

2. Video Reference –Speaker identification can be made easy if the client provides professionally recorded video files as references where the focus is completely on the speakers. In such cases, the transcriber can easily identify the speakers by viewing the video.

3. Googling/Research skill based – There are many cases where there is no reference or speaker names provided by the client. At this time, it is a very challenging task for the transcriber. The transcriber tries to identify the voices of different speakers, simultaneously differentiating them into Speaker1 or Speaker2. If the speakers identify themselves while speaking, the transcriber then uses his Googling/search engine skills to find out the name on the internet. He then tries to relate the speaker name to the content of the file so as to judge whether it might be the same speaker. The limitation in this case is that there is a high chance of identifying the wrong speaker as the internet is not a very reliable source. This is because the search engine shows up a very wide variety of results with the same name.

4. Voice differentiation – This is the most difficult method. If there is no reference material or agenda and if there are more than 3 to 4 speakers in the audio, then it is very challenging to differentiate the speakers based on their voice tone. This is especially so when it is a discussion where the speakers’ voices overlap and one cannot decipher what each speaker is saying. Identification of speakers is almost impossible if the audio quality is bad. In such cases, we try our best to use our listening skills to differentiate the voices to our best possible ability. The limitation in this case is that it is based on the listening skills of the transcriber and there are high chances of mix up of speakers.

As our standard service at Cripton, Speaker Identification is done as [Male] and [Female] or Interviewer or Interviewee. Having said that, our Transcribers/Editors always strive to do speaker identification to their best ability by applying one of the above-mentioned methods. But these methods have their limitations; for more than three speakers, it becomes difficult to identify a particular speaker without a set agenda as a reference.

Hence, the only way to expect correct speaker identification is to provide proper reference material in the form of agenda/draft or speaker names of the conference/meeting/symposium, video files, etc. Also, it is very important that the client uploads all the reference material along with the job itself and not at a later time as speaker identification is done at a primary stage when the transcriber is working on the document. Hence, it is always advisable for the client to upload all the appropriate reference materials along with the audio jobs. This will ensure the delivery of a transcript with accurate speaker identification.

Equipments we use - 2 (Software- 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 03:30:00 +0000

The transcription process, as mentioned in our previous section, begins with the audio/video recording to the finalizing of the transcribed text. In this section, the software aspect of the process will be touched upon.

1. Recording of the audio/video (Dictaphone, microphones) Good audio recording is critical to transcription process. It is very important to invest in a good quality microphone. There are two kind of microphones; omni-directional (sound recorded from all sides) and uni-directional (sound recorded from one side). When choosing a microphone, it is best to go with a unidirectional microphone. This is great for recording narration as it only picks up the sound coming from the narrator, so a lot of ambient noise is eliminated. Omni-directional microphones are used in group recordings.

2. Transfer of audio/video recording (via Internet using secure FTP softwares/share servers). Once the recorded audio or video is finalized, it is sent to the transcription company for transcription. We use HTTP servers hosted by ShareFile (http://www.sharefile.com/) for transfer of the recording source. Investing in a fast and reliable internet connection is very crucial, as transfer of large files require faster bandwidth and connection speed, which reduces download and upload time of files.

3. Processing the audio/video format (sound format converter, sound file extraction from a video, background sound elimination).

a) Format conversion: Today, since there are so many formats of sounds available (mp3, mp4, mp2, wav, wma), we need to process audio formats that are incompatible with our audio player software. Depending on the requirement, we process the audio or video source accordingly. For instance, softwares like Goldwave, Switch, Wavepad , OJOsoft are mainly used to change the format of any file to an Mp3 or wav format as both these formats are compatible with all audio players.

Goldwave interface

b) Sound extraction: While transcribing a video which is very large in size, extracting the sound from the video and then transcribing the audio can also be done. Larger videos take a longer time to get loaded onto the transcription software player; hence we use softwares such as ‘OJOsoft’ for extracting the audio from a video source.

c) Sound amplification/background noise removal: Generally, all transcription software that we use has a background noise elimination feature, but as our experience has proven, it is always helpful that we eliminate background noise manually rather than automatically given by the software. A software named ‘Audacity’ can also be used for background noise elimination. Please note that when the audio is really bad, it is not always possible to eliminate backgrounds noises. A word of caution—when using softwares for background noise removal, there can be loss of original sound. It is imperative to have some practical experience while using softwares for eliminating background noise.

Equilizer interface

USEFUL TIP: A very helpful feature is the Sound Manager Feature of your motherboard. The Sound Manager is a link to the equalizer of your computer system. This is a very important feature because you can amplify low sounds, remove background sounds, etcetera. In your equalizer, the Bass feature generally enhances speaker volume, and the Treble option takes out the background sound and clarifies the main speaker voice. Use of the Sound Manager has become an important practice at Cripton as we can process audios without any loss of sound quality. This feature is available for most computer motherboards available in the market, and is a must-have for all transcribers.

A combination of the amplifier speakers (mentioned in the previous blog) and use of the Sound Manager feature gives you the most optimum output of sound to your headphones.

In our next blog (in later January), we will show you different softwares used in transcription, various reference softwares, players, and some useful tips and tricks.

Equipments we use - 1 (Hardware)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 03:30:00 +0000

In this serial topic, we explain about the equipments which enable/enhance transcription work. Today, we cover hardware (and software in the next post).

The transcription process involves

Cripton editors' room

1. Recording of the audio/Video.
2. Transfer of audio/video recording.
3. Processing the audio/video format.
4. Transcribing to a text document.
5. Proof reading, editing, and finalizing the transcribed document.
6. Delivering the finalized document to the client on the stipulated deadline.

This article will run you through the hardware required in each aspect of the process.

1. Personal Computer/Laptop
It is very important to invest in a higher configuration PC/laptop. Having a higher configuration means your PC must have a good processor (Intel or AMD). Now, the latest processors have faster and efficient processing ability. Having a higher Random Access Memory (RAM) helps in faster processing (opening and closing documents, saving, copy-pasting large data around). The computer should also have sufficient storage space. Since general transcription involves large audio/video data files, you should have sufficient storage space to handle and store data on a daily basis. Hard drives with large storage capacity are available easily. In terms of portability, a laptop is a good investment. To type comfortably on a laptop, you can also attach a separate USB keyboard or mouse.

2. Internet Connection
Having a good internet connection is a must. Investing in a good internet connection will decrease your download and upload time, hence you will be able to accept and deliver data faster. You should also have a backup internet connection in case one goes down.

Foot pedal

3. Foot Pedal
A foot pedal helps you to playback audio (play, forward, rewind) simultaneously as you are transcribing. Foot pedals are mainly of two kinds depending on your PC configuration; older ones come with a serial port (game port) and latest ones with a USB port. This is however optional, as many transcribers use hot-keys on their computers for playback. Having a foot pedal is an optional requirement if you have a good typing speed.

Speakers on both sides of PC monitor

4. Headphones and speakers

This, I must say, is the crux of your whole setup. Invest in good quality headphones. When buying a headphone, check for voice clarity and comfort, as both go a long way. Sound amplification has been a major concern amongst transcribers. In general transcription, our audios can be of varying quality. This is where amplifier speakers (with 3.5 mm port) come into the picture. All transcribers must invest in these amplifier speakers, as you can increase or decrease the volume of your audios with just a twist of a button. One can only realize the importance of these speakers when the volume of the audio is really low, and you can get instantaneous amplification in sound.

All in all, investing in a good computer setup and having the right accessories will go a long way to help you transcribe audios/videos faster and efficiently.

Member profile 2: Amit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 03:30:00 +0000

Today we are profiling Cripton’s Process Manager, Amit- the almighty superman and Mr. Cool. Despite his crucial role and responsibility, the presence of Process Manager is not recognized much as compared to other functions (such as transcribers or customer care). We discover in this topic what his role in Cripton is, how he processes client job, and whatever he feels at this work.

Amit

Snapshot
He’s one of the most dedicated and reliable members in Cripton team. Call him asking for help, and he comes and solves your problem without fail. People call him Mr. Cool, as he never ever gets upset in any tight situation and amid other member’s panic. He’s also well-known for multitask-taker; from medical transcription, computer-related task solving to agile communication with vendors/freelancers all over the world.

Here’s the interview detail….
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1. We Criptonites all know that you are multi-tasker. List down what you do in this role, just to name a few.

It all starts with getting a job enquiry. The complicated ones/special requests come to me at enquiry stage. Once client has uploaded to our server (or any other third party server) I get it downloaded. The duration mailer sent to Customer Service. Then job gets confirmed with a fixed TAT. Now, here I allocate it to a transcriber who can complete it on time with quality. Once the transcript is ready, I inform the Editor PM and then Editor PM does the editing allocation and delivers it to the Customer Service.

We accept all kinds of audio/video format. Usually, we convert them to mp3. Now, we have software, which plays the video files smoothly. Sometimes we are required to record from online streaming when it’s impossible to download. I always recommend uploading to our server because the audio quality goes down with recording online videos/audios. At times, our clients upload to a Japanese server where we get stuck and ask Customer Service (Japanese) to help us out understanding the Japanese text on the Japanese third-party server.

Now, Merwyn (Process Coordinator) takes care of the job uploading/transcript downloading and since last month he has also started generating freelancers’ invoices and sending them out. Earlier I was the only contact point. I am still involved in decision making and freelancer queries.

Apart from this role, I also coordinate Narration jobs. Wherein, I accept the job from Customer Service. I allocate to client’s preferred narrator. Receive the audio from the narrator. Check it with the client’s script. Finally upload it our server and provide link to Customer Service.

Service development is another area where I am required to contribute.

2. That’s quite a lot. Also I know that you are a major communication nodal point in our team, even though you are not known to our Japanese clients. How do you handle it and any difficulties in it ?

There are difficulties when I am not able to pass on the correct message. There is a high risk of confusing the person at the other end. So, I provide only required information without making it fancy. Regarding different time zones, yes it’s difficult to remember more than one time zone but now I am quite familiar with JST (Japan Standard Time).

3. Who are the person (or the role) you closely work within our team?

I closely work with Customer Service (Satomi) & Editor PM (Chandru) & Process Coordinator (Merwyn).

4. How can you manage so many multi tasks at a hand? Any trick on it?

There is no trick. I try to close tasks as fast as possible and move to the next one. I still have a long way to become a very good multi-tasker. There are many different ways but it ultimately depends upon the urgency on your mind. Of course, I try to be as accurate as possible given the timeframe.

5. When you think about most memorable events/happenings during your stint in Cripton, what comes 1st in your mind?

I really liked the recent activity where we decorated our Cripton Bay. The best part was the teamwork. Everyone from the team was actively involved in it.

6. You’ve got a new SONY laptop recently. Has it changed your life so far?

To certain extent, yes. I am quite excited and want to contribute more and more towards my work. New technology fascinates me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Interview-end)

Importance of reference materials

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 03:30:00 +0000

In today’s article, we are going to focus on the importance of reference files in doing client work.

The very first thing a transcriber or editor checks before starting to transcribe or edit a transcript is to check the “Reference Folder”. This folder contains information about the content of the audio file. It might be in the form of PowerPoints, snapshots of PowerPoints, PDFs, MS Word, or text files.

Here are some examples of such references. In case of an interview, the reference document provides the names of the interviewer (person taking the interview) and the interviewee (person being interviewed). The document might also contain the sequence of the questions being asked or some information about the interviewee like his field of work, associated institutions, or names of associated books or reviews.

Another instance is in the case of a symposium/conference. The reference material could contain the agenda of the conference, the participating nations/organizations, the various sessions, the names of the titles, information about the moderators and participants, along with PowerPoints of the presentations made in the symposium.

In case of multiple speakers or a meeting, the reference material may contain the minutes of the meeting identifying speakers according to the time stamps on the audio. For example, “Mr. Saito – 15:26 – We identified…” This helps identify the voice of Mr. Saito and that he is going to begin his speech with the words. “We identified….” Such reference in lengthy audio files helps to positively identify speakers throughout the transcript.

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There are many advantages of having reference material while transcribing a file. The provided reference can give a clue as to the content of the audio file. The transcriber gets the material to select the title of the transcript, which identifies the content of the transcript.

The content provided in the reference files also helps the transcriber to search the internet for further information about the speakers or the subject of the audio. It also can help in understanding content in case of speakers of varied accents which are difficult to comprehend. Reference material can also help with homonyms (similar sounding words) in case the content is medical or technical in nature.

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In case the reference material is not provided, the transcriber may have a lot of difficulty understanding the content of the audio. Research for speaker names or technical terms in case of medical or highly technical files could also take up a lot of time and affect the quality of the transcript.

All these factors point out to the fact that reference material is indeed an essential tool which helps transcribers and editors save an incredible amount of time and effort which can then be utilized to work on the content of the transcript. They can then come up with optimum quality, accurate, and unclear-free transcripts.

Member profile(1): Majid

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:30:00 +0000

In this topic, we will cover our Cripton staffs; in every issue we close up one staff and interview about how he works at Cripton, what day-to-day challenges he faces here and how he finds Cripton interesting.

The 1^st interviewee is Cripton’s Department Head, Majid (VP- Cripton) who literally manages all staffs working in our team.

Snapshot

Majid (the right-end) at office Rangoli competition)

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He is Cripton’s head, managing all staff in this team. We (two of us Cripton Japanese staff) secretly call him “Majio” (although he already noticed it), he’s like a mascot character and at the same time, the most indispensable element of Cripton. Young and fun-loving leader who is good at integrating the team members and Enjoying. Recently he purchased a car and yet don’t know how to drive.

-------------------------------------

Here’s the interview detail….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. (Before joining the team) Tel us about how you joined Cripton, past transcription-related experience, what was the different thing you first felt about Cripton?

I joined Cactus after working for several transcription companies. I was recommended by a friend who had said very nice things about Cactus, it’s focus on quality and its dedication to clients. I was very impressed with it when I joined.

After completing 4 years in Cripton, I can say I made a very good decision to join Cactus. The best thing about Cripton is the team and its people. They are extremely dedicated to quality and client commitment yet enjoy each day at work to the fullest. They are so well bonded that we got a special value card recently from our CEO for being the most well-bonded teams in Cactus. Together with the lovely Japanese ladies in this team, they are a pleasure to work with.

I must say what sets Cripton apart from other transcription companies is its ability to handle all subject matters (typically transcription companies are focused on specific subject matter like medical/business/legal); ability to handle all kinds of accents (again not many companies can handle east asian accents like we do); and the scope of services. We’ve not restricted ourselves only to a transcription business unit, but have expanded to cover various aspects of the service chain to try and give our clients a one-stop solution for all their audio/visual transcription related needs.

2. As a part of initial starting member in Cripton, tell us about the 2~3 struggling experience Cripton had had in its early stage and how we had solved.

I must say there are lots of funny stories here. I remember a time when Cripton didn’t have an in-house team and it used to rely on third-party vendors for its work. In one instance, a vendor backed out on its delivery commitment. Guess what, Cripton got it’s star transcribers in our CEO Anurag Goel and a few other senior members of Cactus, who didn’t allow the client deadline to get affected.

Another experience that’s quite fresh in my mind is how we started our narration service. Once a client enquired an audio in American accent. To us, it was a new thing as we didn’t understand that narration was just the opposite of transcription. It was very hard to find American accent in India at the same time we had to try our best to meet client requirements. Guess what, we managed to get one of the American editors in Editage to do the voiceover by arranging for a recording studio. It all looked very funny and exciting but ultimately client was happy with the output.

3. Now that we have become a big team (as compared to a few years back). Has the Cripton’ working atmosphere changed?

Oh yes, this is one of the biggest changes that I’ve ever seen in my professional life. 4 years back Cripton team was a quiet lot, only focusing on work without any interaction between the team members. All the team members were very introvert and shy. However over the years with the addition of some new members to our team, the team dynamics have changed completely.

The team is an exciting bunch of people who are always together and are one close-knit family. No one is spared from a birthday treat come what may. We even won a bay decoration in Cactus and it’s still suprising to belive that the theme was a “discotheque”.

In addition, the current team is very proactive and focused on the client. They are very vocal about their suggestions for improvement and are always ready to come up with newer ideas that can help us to serve the clients better. I must say this is the best team I’ve worked with so far ever in my career.

4. You have visited Japan for the 1st time in Feb this year. How did you find it (Japan scene, people you met, client talk)?

Oh, it was one big culture shock for me. I was amazed at the Japanese focus on quality and customer satisfaction. Every time I used any service I felt like I was given such special treatment.

The language was a problem but I appreciated the people who were so supportive and cooperative. Only thing is you need to ask for help and they would be ready to help.

The clients I met were so warm and friendly. It took me some time to get used to the Japanese punctuality and precision, but in the end it was such a pleasant experience. They appreciated India and knew so many things about India and its heritage which even the younger generation of Indians may not be aware of.

I must say it was a life changing experience and one that I will cherish for a long time.

5. What’s the most exciting part when working at Cripton?

I must say it’s the dynamism and constant pace at which we strive to give nothing but the best. We disagree over client deadlines, we shout at each other when client instructions arrive late and we have to do a job all over again, we grumble over lack of reference material from client, but in the end we ensure that the client always remember the Cripton experience. So I must say it is our focus on client satisfaction and our respect for each other as team members and belief in each other’s ability is the best and the most exciting part of working in Cripton.

6. Tell us where Cripton goes and want it to be after 3 years.

We have lots of expansion plans for Cripton and we want it to have a dominating presence in the localization marketplace. We plan to cover the entire service range in localization and multimedia space, some of the examples are translation, dubbing, subtitling and all other related services.

We want to cover a larger segment of the clients and ensure that the Cripton brand should be able to meet all of our localization and multimedia needs.

7. Anything you want to tell to our clients?

First of all, I want to say thank you for the trust you’ve shown in our services by giving us an opportunity to serve you.

We will strive continuously to meet your requirements and put in our best effort to give you a world-class experience.

Please feel free to share feedback on our services and do keep on reading this newsletter to know more about Cripton. Feel free to tell us if you want any more things that are needed to be added to this newsletter and we would love to have you a say and your participation in our pursuit of client satisfaction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Interview-end)

Why transcripts contain [Unclear]s?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:00:00 +0000

In general, whenever a client submits a job to us for transcription purpose, we make a commitment to the client that the transcript will be delivered with the highest possible quality, which in an ideal condition is a 100% accurate transcript. But in reality, the transcript that is delivered generally contains some unclears and words that are phonetically written. In today’s article, we will focus on unclears, the reasons why transcribers are unable to find certain words sometimes, and how it can be minimized.

In our transcript, when the transcriber is unable to find a word or a string of words, he or she puts the word “Unclear” within a square bracket. The format being [Unclear]. There can be a number of reasons why the transcriber has to resort to this tool in a transcript.

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1) Poorly recorded audio/video: Sometimes amateur recording equipment, mics placed away from the speakers, recordings done in a crowded place or in a moving vehicle, recording done in a hall with high reverberation, all result in a poorly recorded audio. Then, it becomes difficult for the transcriber to hear and decipher the words correctly. So, instead of guessing the word, the transcriber choses to put an unclear for that particular word or strings of word.

Solution: A professionally recorded audio/video with care taken to correctly position the mics, avoiding crowds and moving vehicles, and also using halls with good acoustics results in a clearly recorded audio. Our transcribers then can hear the words correctly and can process the transcript faster resulting an unclear-free transcript.

2) Audio/video with no or little references: Our transcribers though with good overall knowledge are not expert in all the fields. Sometimes, they get audio/video dealing with a very specialized subject matter. These subjects could range from astrophysics to trials conducted for some new drugs. Most of the specialized fields have their own set of vocabulary. If the client has not provided any references or has provided very little references, transcribers are left with little clue to actually find words using online search engines like Google resulting in a transcript with many unclears in it.

Solution: While uploading the audio/video file, the client is requested to also upload any kind of reference material that is available along with the file. This could be in the form of word document, pdf file, PowerPoint presentations of the speakers, or any web address of any relevant site. The transcribers can then relate the reference with the file and easily find any subject-related words resulting in an unclear-free transcript.

3) Speakers with heavy accent: When it comes to accent, our transcribers are expert in transcribing Japanese speakers. This expertise is because of the intensive accent training provided while joining the company as well as the daily interaction with our Japanese colleagues. But occasionally, our transcribers come across voice files with non-Japanese speakers with heavily accented speech. Those speakers can be from anywhere, Southeast Asian origin, European origin, etc. A heavily accented speech combined with poor English sentence structure can spell nightmare to our transcribers. So, instead of doing any guesswork which may lead to incorrect interpretation of the sentence, our transcribers usually put an unclear for such words or string of words.

Solution: Frankly, there is no clear solution for this. Ideally, wherever possible, accented speakers with poor English should be using an interpreter service. Since this is generally not possible, we at our end are training our transcribers to familiarize with other accents also, especially Southeast Asian accents. With gradual experience and practice, they are becoming better at picking up other accents and thus eliminating the use of unclears in the transcript.

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Thus, from the above points, we can see that the client can do a lot to help us deliver a transcript that is accurate and unclear-free.

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